{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/64.2-101.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/64.2-101.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/64.2-101.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/64.2-101.html"}],"law_id":375766,"edition_id":2,"section_id":375766,"structure_id":53427,"section_number":"64.2-101","catch_line":"Construction of generic terms","history":"1978, c. 647, \u00a7 64.1-71.1; 1987, c. 604; 2012, c. 614.","full_text":"In the interpretation of wills and trusts, adopted persons and persons born out of wedlock are included in class gift terminology or terms of relationship in accordance with rules for determining relationships for purposes of intestate succession unless a contrary intent appears on the face of the will or trust. In determining the intent of a testator or settlor, adopted persons are presumptively included in such terms as “children,” “issue,” “kindred,” “heirs,” “relatives,” “descendents” or similar words of classification and are presumptively excluded by such terms as “natural children,” “issue of the body,” “blood kindred,” “heirs of the body,” “blood relatives,” “descendents of the body” or similar words of classification. In the event that a fiduciary makes payment to members of a class to the exclusion of persons born out of wedlock of whose claim of paternity or maternity the fiduciary has no knowledge, the fiduciary shall not be held liable to such persons for payments made prior to knowledge of such claim. This section shall apply to all inter vivos trusts executed after July 1, 1978, and to all wills of decedents dying after July 1, 1978, regardless of when executed.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1402704,"text":"In the interpretation of wills and trusts, adopted persons and persons born out of wedlock are included in class gift terminology or terms of relationship in accordance with rules for determining relationships for purposes of intestate succession unless a contrary intent appears on the face of the will or trust. In determining the intent of a testator or settlor, adopted persons are presumptively included in such terms as “children,” “issue,” “kindred,” “heirs,” “relatives,” “descendents” or similar words of classification and are presumptively excluded by such terms as “natural children,” “issue of the body,” “blood kindred,” “heirs of the body,” “blood relatives,” “descendents of the body” or similar words of classification. In the event that a fiduciary makes payment to members of a class to the exclusion of persons born out of wedlock of whose claim of paternity or maternity the fiduciary has no knowledge, the fiduciary shall not be held liable to such persons for payments made prior to knowledge of such claim. This section shall apply to all inter vivos trusts executed after July 1, 1978, and to all wills of decedents dying after July 1, 1978, regardless of when executed.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":53427,"edition_id":2,"name":"Definitions","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":53426,"metadata":{"child_laws":2,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:16:27","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:37:05","permalink":{"id":1499789,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":53427,"identifier":"1","token":"64.2\/I\/1\/1","url":"\/64.2\/I\/1\/1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":53426,"edition_id":2,"name":"Definitions and General Provisions","identifier":"1","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":53425,"metadata":{"child_laws":29,"child_structures":4},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:16:27","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:37:05","permalink":{"id":1499787,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":53426,"identifier":"1","token":"64.2\/I\/1","url":"\/64.2\/I\/1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":53425,"edition_id":2,"name":"General Provisions","identifier":"I","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":53424,"metadata":{"child_laws":29,"child_structures":5},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:16:27","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:37:05","permalink":{"id":1499785,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":53425,"identifier":"I","token":"64.2\/I","url":"\/64.2\/I\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":53424,"edition_id":2,"name":"Wills, Trusts, and Fiduciaries","identifier":"64.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":136,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":776,"child_structures":114},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:16:27","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:37:05","permalink":{"id":1499783,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":53424,"identifier":"64.2","token":"64.2","url":"\/64.2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":375761,"structure_id":53427,"section_number":"64.2-100","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/64.2-100\/","token":"64.2\/I\/1\/1\/64.2-100","metadata":false},{"id":375766,"structure_id":53427,"section_number":"64.2-101","catch_line":"Construction of generic terms","url":"\/64.2-101\/","token":"64.2\/I\/1\/1\/64.2-101","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":375761,"structure_id":53427,"section_number":"64.2-100","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/64.2-100\/","token":"64.2\/I\/1\/1\/64.2-100","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/64.2-101\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1978. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 647 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1978 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 2 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1987, chapter 604; in 2012, chapter 614<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1499795,"object_type":"law","relational_id":375766,"identifier":"64.2-101","token":"64.2\/I\/1\/1\/64.2-101","url":"\/64.2-101\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/64.2-101\/","token":"64.2\/I\/1\/1\/64.2-101","dublin_core":{"Title":"Construction of generic terms","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 64.2-101","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

In the interpretation of wills<\/span> and trusts, adopted persons and persons born out of wedlock are included in class gift terminology or terms of relationship in accordance with rules for determining relationships for purposes of intestate succession unless a contrary intent<\/span> appears on the face of the will<\/span> or trust. In determining the intent<\/span> of a testator or settlor, adopted persons are presumptively included in such terms as “children,” “issue<\/span>,” “kindred,” “heirs,” “relatives,” “descendents” or similar words of classification and are presumptively excluded by such terms as “natural children,” “issue<\/span> of the body,” “blood kindred,” “heirs of the body,” “blood relatives,” “descendents of the body” or similar words of classification. In the event that a fiduciary<\/span> makes payment to members of a class to the exclusion of persons born out of wedlock of whose claim of paternity or maternity the fiduciary<\/span> has no knowledge, the fiduciary<\/span> shall not be held liable to such persons for payments made prior to knowledge of such claim. This section shall apply to all inter vivos trusts executed after July 1, 1978, and to all wills<\/span> of decedents dying after July 1, 1978, regardless of when executed.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCONSTRUCTION OF GENERIC TERMS (\u00a7 64.2-101)\n\nIn the interpretation of wills and trusts, adopted persons and persons born out\nof wedlock are included in class gift terminology or terms of relationship in\naccordance with rules for determining relationships for purposes of intestate\nsuccession unless a contrary intent appears on the face of the will or trust. In\ndetermining the intent of a testator or settlor, adopted persons are\npresumptively included in such terms as “children,”\n“issue,” “kindred,” “heirs,”\n“relatives,” “descendents” or similar words of\nclassification and are presumptively excluded by such terms as “natural\nchildren,” “issue of the body,” “blood kindred,”\n“heirs of the body,” “blood relatives,”\n“descendents of the body” or similar words of classification. In the\nevent that a fiduciary makes payment to members of a class to the exclusion of\npersons born out of wedlock of whose claim of paternity or maternity the\nfiduciary has no knowledge, the fiduciary shall not be held liable to such\npersons for payments made prior to knowledge of such claim. This section shall\napply to all inter vivos trusts executed after July 1, 1978, and to all wills of\ndecedents dying after July 1, 1978, regardless of when executed.\n\nHISTORY: 1978, c. 647, \u00a7 64.1-71.1; 1987, c. 604; 2012, c. 614.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}